Future of Willard Park

The Hebron ournal $100 J egister Volume 146, Issue 13 10 Pages, One Section, Plus Supplements Wednesday, March 29, 2201017 Serving the communities of Alexandria, Belvidere, Bruning,R Byron, Carleton, Chester, Davenport, Deshler, Gilead, Hebron, Hubbell and surrounding areas www.hebronjournalregister.com “Future of Willard Park” on council’s April agenda By Nancy McGill Massachusetts, deceased.” Hebron Journal-Register “He was already gone in 1902,” [email protected] Cording said. “I believe the city of In its March meeting, the Hebron Hebron would have to spend the City Council briefl y discussed the money on private detectives to fi nd “Sale of Willard Park.” The topic the heirs of Solomon Willard.” will again be on the council’s April Interestingly, an entry of the Free- 3 agenda, but renamed, “The Future masons: Grand Lodge of Nebraska, of Willard Park,” according to city also cites Charles Willard via his adminstrator, Chris Fangmeier. widow. “There are a lot of people jumping Anna Willard approached the to conclusions. The council has no Grand Lodge and offered to sell motivation to bypass the public,” her property “near Hebron” for an Fangmeier said. Orphans Home. Councilman Doug Huber intro- “That while the Grand Lodge duced the idea of a sale to encourage should express its thanks to Mrs. Wil- public input. lard for her kind and liberal offer, yet “We have some things coming on account of want of the necessary up in the near future. The people of funds in our treasury to purchase the the city are going to have to decide property, your committee is of the where this funding is coming from,” opinion that this proposition should Huber said. be refused,” the entry reads. In a letter to the editor this week, Cording said there is no statute Huber highlights the 2015 price of of limitations on the deed’s require- maintenance to Hebron’s three parks, ments and the city is bound to its Willard, Roosevelt and Riverside obligations on the park forever. — all three amount to $30,682. Wil- At March’s meeting, Huber said lard’s slice is an estimated $10,000 the public used to frequent the to $12,000 per year for mowing, tree park. trimming and general upkeep. “My sister, Sharon, has home The Thayer County Hospital was the former Hebron Academy Thedora Hall women’s dormitory on the north side Huber’s focus centers on the swim- movies of the park,” Cording said of Park Avenue near Willard Park in the present location of Blue Valley Lutheran Homes as described in A Pictorial ming pool, which is over 80 years of the picnics attended by the Grace History of Thayer County Nebraska by the Hebron Journal Register. old. In observing other communities, Lutheran Church congregation. he estimates a new facility will cost He chuckled as he recalled the day moved through, two years of college Hebron didn’t open the academy Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Soci- closer to $1 million. three church congregations gathered was added,” Cording said. after the war because Fairbury’s ety was organized in the late 1940’s, “This is going to be a major issue at the park in the 1970’s. The mansion became Buehring Junior College opened in 1947 and Cording said. for our city in probably less than fi ve “We should have coordinated it Hall, originally a men’s dormitory soaked up the Government Issued He added there was a tunnel from years,” Huber states in his letter. better with one church bringing the that also housed the chapel. Paul G.I. Bill funds. the house to the hospital,which was “The people who gave us the park dessert and another church bringing Buehring was the president of the Women were later housed in The- converted from yet another hall, said we need to take care of it. It isn’t something else. The park was full,” college and the fi rst pastor at Grace dora Hall in what would become the Luther, to a nursing home after the taken care of the way it should be,” he said. Lutheran Church. county hospital. 1953 tornado. Huber said. Before he died, Willard platted the A junior college was started in The building was eventually torn Hebron was on the hunt for a Willard Park was donated to the park “Park Place.” 1924 and closed in approximately down and some of the materials went community center, but the building city by Charles Willard’s widow, “It never really fl ew,” Cording said. 1943. to Grace Lutheran. had aging issues and couldn’t be Anna Willard. Willard was at one “It wasn’t developed.” “The males and faculty were Cording said there are photographs used again. time a Nebraska State Treasurer. The Willard’s Mansion was later sold to drafted,” Cording said. of women cleaning the building’s Jim Kenner doesn’t think the city city agreed to the deed’s terms — it the Ohio Joint Synod for the Hebron He said the academy struggled bricks hanging in the church’s fel- can sell the park, either. would “plant shade and ornamental Academy. The academy opened in fi nancially because of the Great lowship hall. The church’s light “It has to go back to the heirs,” trees and other wise beautify and 1911. Depression. fi xtures are made from the building’s Kenner said. “I don’t think the city improve...for the use of the Public “It was a high school and as the kids Cording said it was unfortunate oak woodwork. can sell it if they want to.” on or three years” from the date, Jan. 9, 1902. Hebron resident, David Cording explained the deed and the city’s agreement in a letter to the editor Planning commission holds off on decision published March 15. The deed states if the city decides By Nancy McGill federal permits. system, anaerobic. The two options food service. Hebron Journal-Register Commission chairman, Gary address waste management. Simply Kathy Marquart, who lives a mile to abandon the park, the land will [email protected] be returned to the “legal heirs of Miller, said the commission is put, aerobic deals in composting north of the impending feedlot said Solomon Willard late of Boston, Thayer County Zoning and Plan- exploring the particulars of Duen- manure and anaerobic, stockpiling. she is concerned with road traffi c ning will hold a meeting April 3 at sing’s request, whether it be 100 In the aerobic system, the runoff and health. 7:30 p.m., to decide on a recom- percent of area landowners agreeing detention must be pumped and “Our family has asthma and mendation for Trey Duensing, to the feedlot or documentation of water isn’t stored long. we use nebulizer treatments,” she who wants to construct a Class IV the extra management required to Producers spoke in favor of said. “I have strong concerns. I Tidbits intensive feeding operation near reduce odor and dust. Duensing’s request for the inten- would like my grandchildren to Blood drive at Thayer Byron. From the date of the meeting, the sive feedlot and Settje noted in his play outside without smelling cow “We are operating our own small commission has 30 days to submit presentation that feedlots in general manure.” Central March 31 feedlot and trying to expand to 5 its recommendation to the Thayer do not have a negative impact on One of those in attendance said A blood drive for the Nebraska to 10,000 head. There is no mini- County Commissioners. Miller said surrounding properties. he also has asthma, however, he has Community Blood Bank is sched- mum,” Duensing told the commis- the commissioners meet the week Settje said areas with feedlots never had a problem. of April 3 and they also will have tend to have a positive effect on “I am entirely in favor of this uled for March 31 at Thayer Central sion at its meeting March 23. Dean Settje of Settje Agri-Ser- 30 days. neighboring properties and com- facility,” he said. “As a county, we High School, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. vices and Engineering, Inc., based Attendance was high at the communities and economically benefi t need economic development.” out of Raymond, said gaining mission’s meeting as Settje took from feedlots four to seven times “This is a young gentleman will- Lenten luncheons approval at the county level was neighbors and producers through more than areas without cattle. ing to jump through every hoop scheduled the fi rst step of several to make the project’s steps. Using Custer County as an ex- and then some,” Producer Gregg the intensive feedlot a reality. The Settje said there are two options ample, Settje said the total impact Wiedel said. “I think our county The following churches have second portion of the project would in which to design the feedlot for livestock topped every other board should vote for this. Yes, scheduled Lenten luncheons: involve Settje applying for state and — aerobic or the more traditional profession in the county, including there is some odor, but by the time Hebron Bible Church — he is going to be done, it will be a April 5 model feedlot. If not for livestock in United Methodist — Custer County, it probably wouldn’t April 12 be a thriving community.” All luncheons will follow the Additional discussion revealed same schedule — lunch at 11:30 neighbors would most likely be a.m.; service, 12 p.m.; and lunch, impacted by odor three to four 12:30 p.m. weeks out of the year.

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